Transport container environmental control lid

ABSTRACT

A transport container lid (10) is provided which includes a power source (24) providing electrical power to the container lid. An environmental control unit (20) electrically powered by the power source (24) and producing conditioned air is provided, wherein the environmental control unit (20) contains a fan (12) to distribute the conditioned air. A controller (28) in operative communication with the power source (24) and the environmental control unit (20) is provided, wherein the controller (28) adjusts the operation of the environmental control unit (20) based upon a command input.

BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE

The embodiments disclosed herein generally relate to transport containers and the environmental control of such containers.

Refrigerated trucks and trailers are commonly used to transport perishable cargo, such as, for example, produce, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, cut flowers, and other fresh or frozen perishable products. A transport refrigeration system is mounted to the truck or to the trailer in operative association with a cargo space defined within the truck or trailer for maintaining a controlled temperature environment within the cargo space.

Conventionally, transport refrigeration systems used in connection with refrigerated trucks and refrigerated trailers include a transport environmental control unit having a refrigerant compressor, a condenser with one or more associated condenser fans, an expansion device, and an evaporator with one or more associated evaporator fans, which are connected via appropriate refrigerant lines in a closed refrigerant flow circuit. Air or an air/gas mixture is drawn from the interior volume of the cargo space by means of the evaporator fan(s) associated with the evaporator, passed through the airside of the evaporator in heat exchange relationship with refrigerant whereby the refrigerant absorbs heat from the air, thereby cooling the air. The cooled air is then supplied back to the cargo space.

Typically, the perishable cargo within the truck's transport refrigeration system is contained within simple cardboard boxes, wooden crates, or plastic containers and is cooled or heated by the truck's environmental control system. Upon arriving at the destination the perishable cargo is unloaded onto a dock or other uncontrolled area where it may sit for hours until it could be moved to an environmentally controlled location. This time spent on dock, out of a controlled environment, leads to the degradation of the product life and ultimately leads to a lower quality product being served to the end consumer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

According to one embodiment, a transport container lid includes a power source providing electrical power to the transport container lid. Also included is an environmental control unit electrically powered by the power source and producing conditioned air, wherein the environmental control unit contains a fan to distribute the conditioned air. Further included is a controller in operative communication with the power source and the environmental control unit, wherein the controller adjusts the operation of the environmental control unit based upon a command input.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include at least one of a sensor and a control input module to transmit a command input to the controller to adjust the performance of the environmental control unit, wherein the sensor is located internal to the transport container lid.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the sensor is configured to identify a specific cargo and transmit a command input to the controller to adjust the performance of the environmental control unit based upon the specific cargo.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the control input module further comprises at least one of a visual display, a key pad and a touchscreen visual display.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the control input module is located on an exterior surface of the transport container lid.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the control input module is connected wirelessly to the controller and located off the transport container lid.

According to another embodiment, a method of operating a transport container comprising a base and an environmental control lid, the method is provided. The method includes electrically powering, using a power source internal to the environmental control lid, a plurality of components of the transport container. The method also includes conditioning air, using an environmental control unit internal to the environmental control lid, the transport container, wherein the environmental control unit includes a fan to distribute conditioned air. The method further includes controlling, using a controller internal to the environmental control lid, a plurality of components of the transport container, wherein controlling comprises operating the power source and the environmental control unit. The method yet further includes adjusting, using the controller, the operation of the environmental control unit based upon a command input.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include transmitting a command input to the controller to adjust the operation of the environmental control unit using at least one of a sensor and a control input module, wherein the sensor is located internal to the environmental control lid.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the sensor identifies a specific cargo and transmits a command input to the controller to adjust the performance of the environmental control unit based upon the specific cargo.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the control input module further comprises at least one of a visual display, a key pad and a touchscreen visual display.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the control input module is located on an exterior surface of the transport container.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the control input module is connected wirelessly to the controller and located off the transport container.

In addition to one or more of the features described above, or as an alternative, further embodiments may include the base is collapsible and may be folded when not in use.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The subject matter which is regarded as the disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features and advantages of the disclosure are apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a transport container lid with a control input module having a key pad and a visual display in an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a transport container lid with a control input module having a visual display with touchscreen capability in an embodiment;

FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration of a transport container with control input module affixed to an exterior surface of the transport container lid in an embodiment;

FIG. 4 is a schematic illustration of a transport container with control input module affixed to an exterior surface of the transport container base in an embodiment; and

FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of a transport container with control input module separate and apart from the transport container in an embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE

Referring to FIG. 1, a transport container lid 10 includes a power source 24, an environmental control unit 20, and a controller 28. The environmental control unit 20 is powered by the power source 24 and functions, under the control of the controller 28, to establish and regulate a desired perishable cargo storage temperature within a transport container 40 (FIG. 3) in which a perishable cargo is stored during transport.

Referring to FIG. 3 a transport container 40 may be composed of a transport container base 30 and a transport container lid 10. The transport container base 30 is an open ended container wherein perishable cargo, such as, for example, produce, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, cut flowers, and other fresh or frozen perishable products, is stowed for transport. The transport container lid 10 is configured to fit on the transport container base 30, thus enclosing the perishable cargo. In various embodiments, the transport container base 30 and the transport container lid 10 may be composed of a plastic, metal vacuum, extruded polystyrene foam, polyurethane foam, polyethylene foam, or other lightweight insulating material. In one embodiment, the transport container base 30 is collapsible and may be folded when not in use for easy storage and transportation.

Typically, the perishable cargo in a truck's transport environmental control system is contained within simple cardboard boxes, wooden crates, or plastic containers. Upon arriving at the destination the perishable cargo is unloaded onto a dock or other uncontrolled area where it may sit for hours until it could be moved to an environmentally controlled location. This time spent on dock, out of a controlled environment leads to degradation of the product life and ultimately leads to a lower quality product being available to the end consumer. For instance, the life of a fragile ripe at harvest fruit such as, for example, raspberries and blueberries, decreases with the amount of time they spend in ambient air. The transport container lid 10 may be used interchangeably with various transport container bases 30 to provide the cooling or heating required to keep the perishable cargo fresh while it sits in an uncontrolled area. The transport container lid 10 may be used at any time to keep a perishable product fresh from the time it is harvested to the time it is served.

In various embodiments the environmental control unit 20 may contain a thermoelectric, magneto caloric or phase change material to provide the required cooling or heating load of the system. The environmental control unit 20 includes a fan 12 to distribute the conditioned air that has been cooled or heated. The fan 12 is operative to pass air, typically ambient air, across the cooling or heating load of the environmental control unit 20. It is to be understood that the term “air” when used herein with reference to the atmosphere within the transport container 40 includes mixtures of air with other gases, such as for example, but not limited to, nitrogen or carbon dioxide, sometimes introduced into a truck's environmentally controlled container or directly into the transport container 40 for transport of perishable cargo.

The environmental control unit 20 also includes a controller 28 configured for controlling the operation of various components of the environmental control unit 20 to provide and maintain a desired environment within transport container 40 in which a perishable product is stowed. The controller 28 may be an electronic controller including a microprocessor and an associated memory bank. The controller 28 controls the operation of various components of the environmental control unit 20, including but not limited to the heating or cooling load, the fan 12 and the power source 24. The power source 24 may be a battery or power generation device such as for example, but not limited to, primary cell batteries, secondary cell batteries, gas powered generator, or solar cells.

In additional embodiments, the transport container lid 10 may also contain a plurality of cargo sensors 22 in communication with the controller 28. The cargo sensors 22 can automatically sense the perishable cargo within the transport container 40 and transmit that information back via a command input to the controller 28, which will then command the environmental control unit 20 to maintain the proper conditions within the transport container 40 for that specific perishable cargo. The cargo sensors 22 may distinguish the type of cargo via many sensing techniques including but not limited to optical, odor, soundwave, infrared, and via a physical probe. The cargo sensors 22 also include sensors that monitor the environmental conditions within the transport container 40, including but not limited to temperature, humidity, air quality, air gas composition, and vibrations.

In additional embodiments, the transport container lid 10 may also include control input module 14 to transmit a command input to the controller 28, where a user may manually enter the proper conditions required by the perishable cargo within the transport container 40. In a further embodiment, the control input module 14 may include a visual display 16 and a key pad 18 for manually entering the proper conditions for the specific perishable cargo. In another embodiment, the visual display 16 may be touchscreen. In yet another embodiment, the control input module 14 may include only a visual display 16 that is a touchscreen for manually entering the proper perishable cargo conditions, as seen in FIG. 2. In additional embodiments, the control input module 14 may be located on an exterior surface of the transport container lid 10 or off the transport container lid 10 entirely and connected hard lined or wirelessly to the controller 28, as seen in FIGS. 3, 4 and 5. FIG. 4 depicts an embodiment where the control input module 14 is located on the container base 30 and may be in wired or wireless communication controller 28. FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment where the control input module 14 is located off the lid 10 and the container base 30 and may be in wireless communication controller 28 (e.g., Bluetooth, NFC).

While the disclosure has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the disclosure is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the disclosure can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the scope of the disclosure. Additionally, while various embodiments of the disclosure have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the disclosure is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A transport container lid comprising: a power source providing electrical power to the transport container lid; an environmental control unit electrically powered by the power source and producing conditioned air, wherein the environmental control unit contains a fan to distribute the conditioned air; and a controller in operative communication with the power source and the environmental control unit, wherein the controller adjusts the operation of the environmental control unit based upon a command input.
 2. The transport container lid of claim 1, further comprising: at least one of a sensor and a control input module to transmit a command input to the controller to adjust the performance of the environmental control unit, wherein the sensor is located internal to the transport container lid.
 3. The transport container lid of claim 2, wherein: the sensor is configured to identify a specific cargo and transmit a command input to the controller to adjust the performance of the environmental control unit based upon the specific cargo.
 4. The transport container lid of claim 3, wherein: the control input module further comprises at least one of a visual display, a key pad and a touchscreen visual display.
 5. The transport container lid of claim 4, wherein: the control input module is located on an exterior surface of the transport container lid.
 6. The transport container lid of claim 4, wherein: the control input module is connected wirelessly to the controller and located off the transport container lid.
 7. A method of operating a transport container comprising a base and an environmental control lid, the method comprising: electrically powering, using a power source internal to the environmental control lid, a plurality of components of the transport container; conditioning air, using an environmental control unit internal to the environmental control lid, the transport container, wherein the environmental control unit includes a fan to distribute conditioned air. controlling, using a controller internal to the environmental control lid, a plurality of components of the transport container, wherein controlling comprises operating the power source and the environmental control unit. adjusting, using the controller, the operation of the environmental control unit based upon a command input.
 8. The method of claim 7, further comprising: transmitting a command input to the controller to adjust the operation of the environmental control unit using at least one of a sensor and a control input module, wherein the sensor is located internal to the environmental control lid.
 9. The method of claim 8, wherein: the sensor identifies a specific cargo and transmits a command input to the controller to adjust the performance of the environmental control unit based upon the specific cargo.
 10. The method of claim 9, wherein: the control input module further comprises at least one of a visual display, a key pad and a touchscreen visual display.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein: the control input module is located on an exterior surface of the transport container.
 12. The method of claim 10, wherein: the control input module is connected wirelessly to the controller and located off the transport container.
 13. The method of claim 7, wherein: the base is collapsible and may be folded when not in use.
 14. The method of claim 8, wherein: the base is collapsible and may be folded when not in use.
 15. The method of claim 9, wherein: the base is collapsible and may be folded when not in use.
 16. The method of claim 10, wherein: the base is collapsible and may be folded when not in use.
 17. The method of claim 11, wherein: the base is collapsible and may be folded when not in use.
 18. The method of claim 12, wherein: the base is collapsible and may be folded when not in use. 